Govt buildings burn on Eid in Srinagar

They damaged the woodwork of the clock tower, which was recently undertaken as part of the chief minister's Lal Chowk beautification plan.

Hundreds of people had seated themselves in the buildings around the clock tower.

Processions had started flowing into Lal Chowk since early morning with people on foot as well atop vehicles shouting slogans and thronging the area around the clock tower.

A huge procession of youth riding motorcycles and carrying banners and flags made rounds of the city centre, as the authorities chose to withdraw the police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel from the entire city to avoid clashes and casualties.

Govt buildings burn on Eid in Srinagar

Addressing the huge gathering, Mirwaiz said that 'his efforts to forge unity among the various separatist groups will shortly bear fruit'.

Soon after a protest rally organised by separatist leaders at Lal Chowk, a group of youth barged into the office of Chief Engineer Power Development Department near Exhibition Crossing in Srinagar and set it on fire.

The adjacent building housing the Crime Branch office was also engulfed in flames within no time and the blaze spread rapidly as the building is mostly made of wood.

Govt buildings burn on Eid in Srinagar

A police spokesman said that Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq had assured that there would be no violence. The assurances proved false.

"Mirwaiz incited the situation by leading a procession to Lal Chowk taking the advantage of Eid congregation and thus vitiated the Eid celebrations in Srinagar," the spokesman said.

"Today's protests were uncalled for as people wanted to celebrate Eid after a month long fasting. But violence like today's will result in set back for any initiative that the government can think for breaking the impasse," Omar said, reacting to the violent protests.

Govt buildings burn on Eid in Srinagar

Accusing the Mirwaiz and JKLF Chief Yaseen Malik of failing in their duty to maintain peace, Omar said, "It was the Mirwaiz's office, which approached a senior official in my government and requested for permission to have a march to Lal Chowk."

"They were repeatedly asked whether the mob will go out of control, but the repeated insistence from the separatist camp for allowing them a political space for peaceful march made me overrule the suggestions of my police officials. However, whatever has happened later in Lal Chowk can be termed as betrayal of trust," he said.

While the Chief Minister refrained from naming the close aide of the Mirwaiz, but sources said the offer was made by the Hurriyat Chairman through Shahid-ul-Islam, a former chief of terrorist group Hizbullah.

Govt buildings burn on Eid in Srinagar

The Mirwaiz aide reasoned out that the march was a political necessity for them as the space for separatists in the Valley was shrinking fast, the sources said. However, as the mob in Lal Chowk started turning hostile, the Mirwaiz and his aides quickly disappeared from the scene.

Asked whether such incidents would cast a shadow on the talks about partial removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Omar said: "While we want the changes to take place, such incidents would definitely have a bearing on any moves to restore peace."

Reacting to the Chief Minister, the Mirwaiz said it was people's anger that was playing out on the street though he would not justify the violence.